THE BREEDE RIVER IRRIGATION WORKS. 



By T. E. Scaife, A.MT.C.E. 



Introductory. 



Upon the Coastal Plateau of the Cape Colony south of the Lange- 

 berg range of mountains there is only one area where the true 

 Karroo conditions of climate and soil are found. In the centre 

 of this area is situated the village of Roberston, where the first 

 South African Irrigation Congress was held in May last. This 

 Congress was initiated by the Breede River Irrigation Board, and 

 all the gentlemen attending the Congress were their guests. Speak- 

 ing at the oj)ening of the Congress, Mr. Merriman said : — 



" I can never forget that Robertson was the first place to give a real start 

 to co-operative irrigation in the Countrv. It was ten years ago. I think, 

 since I last had the ])leasure of addressing a Robertson audience upon the 

 subject, when there was some doubt as to whether one could carry out a 

 Co-operative Scheme. I always had an affection for Robertson, because it 

 was the first place to put into effect an Act of mine, which had been practicalh' 

 a dead letter for twenty years on the Statute Book. I think that it is fitting, 

 indeed, that Robertson sliould be the first place to hold what I hope will be 

 an annual function — a Congress on Irrigation of the whole country. We 

 should be very thankful to Robertson for going to the trouble of arranging 

 for the Congress to be held here, and for the hospitality extended to the 

 delegates." 



It is intended in this paper briefly to outline the history of that 

 Board and its irrigation scheme in the Breede River Valley. 



Irrig.-vtiox IX THE Breede V.\i.ley. 



It is close upon ten years since the construction of these irrigation 

 works under the jurisdiction of the Irrigation Board were commenced. 

 At that time little use had been made of the waters in the Breede 

 River for irrigation purposes. The ordinary summer flow of the 

 many side streams issuing from the kloofs on the Langeberg Range 

 on one side of the valley, and the Zonder Einde Range on the other 

 side, had been fully utilised. Lands situated nearest to the moun- 

 tain slopes received an ample supply of water for irrigation purposes, 

 while the best Karroo lands situated along the river banks were dry 

 and could not be cultivated, although throughout most of the yea.v 

 the Breede River, flowing close to them, contained a fair volume 

 of water. Levels had been taken at various times, and these had 

 proved that only by a large canal and co-operation amongst the 

 landowners could any advance by means of irrigation be made. 



The Irrigation Works are situated in the centre of the only strip 

 of Karroo soil to be found on the Co.^stal Plateau. This strip of 

 Karroo soil in the Breede River Valley is about 50 miles long, having 

 a varying width of 5 to 10 miles. The Karroo conditions are first 

 evident near Worcester. They extend down the valley to Nuy, 

 Robertson and Ashton, soon afterwards becoming merged into the 

 sour veld before Swellendam is reached. The conditions in the 

 Breede Valley are favourable for irrigation purj)oses because of its 

 geographical position, it being a strip of Karroo soil adjoining the 



